What You Need To Know About Used Unlocked Cell Phones

September 5th, 2008

Imagine this scenario; you arranged a dinner blind date at 6PM. You are very excited what hearing nice refutation about this sweet lady you are going to meet for the first time. And then clock starts to strike six but she is still not there. So you pull out your phone and starts calling her over. Poof! Her phone network is not like yours. And then a message says, phone locked! What a bummer!

Indeed things like this happens and sometimes it is even on your precious thing called cell phone. Does locked cell phone ring a bell? Yes, it does. In technical term, it is called carrier lock, also known as a SIM lock or subsidy lock. So how does this happen and what to do? Let us discuss a bit about cell phone network systems.

There are two major communication systems used for cell phones, CDMA and GSM. CDMA system is a coded response that ties a phone and its user together to a particular system and to a particular number. CDMA is more popular in the United States.

GSM, which stands for the Global System for Mobile Communication, is the common standard in over 200 other countries in the World and is becoming more popular in the United States. GSM cell phone uses a SIM card to communicate with a particular network. The network provider has the option (and it uses this option often) to lock the phone so that it will not respond to a SIM card from an alternate provider. Network providers do this obviously for competitive purposes, but many have cried foul over this seemingly unfair practice. When the cell phone is purchased by an individual, he should have the ability to change the SIM card and use the unit on any network that he prefers to use. This gives the phone owner the power to use the same phone when traveling, especially in foreign countries without paying expensive roaming charges.

And so we are done with understanding how a locked cell phone occurs. So what to do when it happens? There are basically three ways and each of them demand excruciating amount of time to know your phone more and its system, search for help over the Net and then make calls you get the drift. So here is a better solution.

If you are still thinking of buying a cell phone, there is no need to worry about the unfair practice by network providers to lock your phone down. While it is possible to unlock a cell phone, many people opt to buy unlocked cell phones. Yes, you have that choice! The truth of it all is that there is tremendous competition between the various mobile phone service providers. Ergo, phone companies are most likely to lock you into using their service and this is the purpose for locking them. When you own an unlocked phone, you have the freedom to choose your own service - the stuff you need and the stuff that you just want.

GSM phones are invariably easier to unlock as compared to CDMA phones. But then again, in either case, buying an unlocked mobile phone makes more sense than purchasing a phone and then going through the problem of unlocking it later. So let us make the equation simple from hereon, buying unlocked phones is the only way to do. But before you take out cash from your pocket, ask the seller and make sure that they truly understand what it is you are asking of them. Once you have your unlocked phone, it is an easy matter to determine if it is truly unlocked. All you need to do is try it out and the phone will tell you its status. If it is unlocked you will be capable to use it to connect with whatever service you wish to use.

What Are Unlocked Cell Phones?

September 5th, 2008

When someone signs up for a new cell carrier plan, they often get a phone at a free or reduced rate with their contract. The cell phones that come with a carrier contract are almost always locked cell phones. This means that they only work with that specific carrier’s Subscriber Identification Module, or SIM, card, a microchip inserted into the phone to activate service. To put it simply, that person can only use that phone while still subscribed to that carrier’s network and, if they want to change carriers, they have to get a new phone.

An unlocked cell phone will work with any carrier’s SIM card. If an individual changes carriers, they simply have to insert a new SIM card into their unlocked cell phone, and the phone will be able to access that carrier’s network.

Cell phone carriers use locked cell phones to their advantage. By locking the cell phones and offering them as part of their contract, they retain more customers. The customer cannot change carriers without getting a new phone and possibly spending more money. Because certain carriers may have contracts with specific cell phone manufacturers, a customer may not be able to get the phone they want with the plan they have. The carriers argue that locking the phones helps them offer the phones at a discounted rate. Still, these phones leave the customer with few options.

An unlocked phone, on the other hand, can be used for years, even if the customer decides to change carriers. The customer has more options as to the type and style of cell phone they choose because they are not pinned down to the phones offered by their carrier. While the customer will have to buy the unlocked phone outright, perhaps spending more money initially, over time, they actually save more money. Plus, unlocked cell phones are much more convenient.

Unlocked cell phones are offered by third parties and are not connected with the carrier companies. On occasion, a cell carrier will unlock a locked phone after a period of time, but these previously locked phones don’t always work with all SIM cards, even once they’re unlocked. As unlocked cell phones become more popular, the overall price of phones should come down.

The U.S. is far behind the rest of the worl in unlocked cell phone sales. In other countries, the majority of cell phones sold are unlocked. In the United States, the majority are sold with contracts and are locked into a certain carrier. This is slowly changing and within a decade unlocked phones shouls surpass locked phone sales.

Why Buy Unlocked Cell Phone

September 5th, 2008

It is cheaper to buy locked Sony Ericsson cell phones than unlocked Sony Ericsson cell phones from service provider because the phone is being locked to use only with the service provider network.

Although unlocked cell phone may be more expensive, there are some good reasons why you should buy them over one that is locked.

Firstly, if you travel overseas frequently, you can buy prepaid SIM cards in the country you are in and it can be used immediately with your unlocked cell phone. This is definitely much cheaper than making expensive overseas calls from your locked cell phones.

Secondly, when you bought locked cell phones, you are bound to the duration of the contract in using your service provider network. But, when your contract expires, you will not longer be able to use the phone as it is locked. You will need to renew and continue using the same service provider in order for the phone to work.

Third reason is linked to the second reason. Once your contract expired, if you are using unlocked cell phones, you are free to switch cell phone providers. All that is required is that you get a new SIM card from the provider and your phone still work nicely.

If you are using a locked cell phone, don’t be fret that your phone will be useless once your contract ended. There are many ways to unlock your mobile phone, even if you are using the latest models, it can be unlocked.

One of the ways to unlock your cell phones is by downloading free software that will generate unique unlocked code for your cell phone. These are free software written by experts who manage to crack the secret code of the phone. The downside of this software is that they are not able to unlock all models of the cell phones. If you are using the latest model, it is unlikely that it can help to unlock your phone.

A more popular way to unlock cell phones is through the engagement of professional mobile phone unlocking website. There are many online websites that provide phones unlocking services with a fee. For a small fee, they will help you to unlock your phone and that include almost every model available on the market. Unlocking Sony Ericsson, Nokia or Motorola phone, you named it, they will get it done for you.

If you don’t want to go through the trouble of looking for phone unlocking software or services, it is always good to make sure that you buy unlocked cell phones when you sign up for a new phone contract.